MI MI - Jessica Heeringa, 25, Norton Shores, 26 April 2013 #4

[Maggiewho]

My understanding is, and tell me if this seems right, that if you pay cash you must go inside first and hand over the money and then Jessica will activate the pump nearest to your car for you. Then when you lift the nozzle you put that prepaid amount into the tank.

But, if you have a credit card, you'd never have to go inside if you didn't want to, right? That's how I buy gas near my house.

So, the 911 caller said he couldn't get the gas to pump. Does that mean he intended to pay with a credit card? If so, how did the system shut down when Jessica went outside or was forced to go outside. The pump should have worked anyway if he intended to pay with a credit card. He said it wasn't working so he went inside to seek help but he couldn't find anyone to help him. Why didn't the pump work? The gas station hadn't closed down yet.

I belie it varies. I can pull up to "my" gas station and get approved. Remember it is rural so having "regulars" you would most likely just push the button. He seemed like he frequented that place after work.

Yes, generally I prepay if I am out of town, or use a card depending on my drink situation.

 

[Woe.be.gone]

Well, I'm not from the area so I don't know the roads that well, but, since it looks like he took the time to find a gas station without surveilance, I don't think he anticipated someone ID'ing his van. For that reason, my gut tells me he didn't think about surveilance cameras at other locations because it never occurred to him they would have enough information to look for a silver van. People are generally creatures of habit. I have to believe at some point shortly before he pulled this off, he traveled the same route, BUT, they should also look at surveilance camera footage taken prior to the incident along these other routes as you pointed out.

Again, surely they have thought about this, but time is of the essence since the surveilance footage is only kept for a short period of time.

Someone else had the idea of checking the videos at earlier times. Then I looked at the map and saw that 31 runs sort of parallel with the other road, Grand Haven - the one with the cameras. Does 31 have cameras too? Because if he lives north and travels south, he can take either road. He may have stayed off 31 after abducting Jessica for reasons discussed before (staying on the side street route as it would be easier to hide if need be).

I don't know if he'd necessarily travel the same route especially if his plot to take her developed throughout the course of the same day.

 

[Woe.be.gone]

I belie it varies. I can pull up to "my" gas station and get approved. Remember it is rural so having "regulars" you would most likely just push the button. He seemed like he frequented that place after work.

Yes, generally I prepay if I am out of town, or use a card depending on my drink situation.

Yes, makes sense. Still I wish we knew why the pump malfunctioned. He said he couldn't get it to work meaning he expected it to work. Also I hope someone checked to make sure it had malfunctioned or if the pump was already shut down for some reason.

I don't really know why but, at first, I just thought the guy went in to pay but couldn't find an attendant. Normal right? But he said he couldn't operate the pump (though he should have been able to) so he went to find an attendant. Why was the pump shut down? Does it mean anything?

 

[Maggiewho]

Yes, makes sense. Still I wish we knew why the pump malfunctioned. He said he couldn't get it to work meaning he expected it to work. Also I hope someone checked to make sure it had malfunctioned or if the pump was already shut down for some reason.

I don't really know why but, at first, I just thought the guy went in to pay but couldn't find an attendant. Normal right? But he said he couldn't operate the pump (though he should have been able to) so he went to find an attendant. Why was the pump shut down? Does it mean anything?

I feel like he just expected her to hear the beep inside. Next time your at a gas station listen. You may not really notice, but now that I point it out you will.

On a side note about GPS. If you want to use the web via cell phone you pretty much have to use your GPS. Otherwise your scripts run slowly. It automatically turns on.

 

[Flutterby80]

Yes, makes sense. Still I wish we knew why the pump malfunctioned. He said he couldn't get it to work meaning he expected it to work. Also I hope someone checked to make sure it had malfunctioned or if the pump was already shut down for some reason.

I don't really know why but, at first, I just thought the guy went in to pay but couldn't find an attendant. Normal right? But he said he couldn't operate the pump (though he should have been able to) so he went to find an attendant. Why was the pump shut down? Does it mean anything?

I know that there have been many times when I have had to wait around for someone inside to clear the pump I pulled up to before I could start pumping gas. Maybe she never cleared the previous transaction, for whatever reason.

 

[Woe.be.gone]

I was thinking today about the silver minivan that appears in the surveillance videos. A few people here have voiced fears that it is possible that investigators have put too much emphasis on it and that it is possible that it wasn't involved in Jessica's disappearance. I feel certain that it is, if for no other reason than this...as much coverage as this has gotten, no one has come forth and said "oh, that was me in that video. I was on my way to yada yada...". I recall in the Mickey Shunick case, there were initially three vehicles that LE showed pictures of, and two were eliminated almost immediately because their owners came forward. Not surprisingly, the perp was not one of them, and very soon after torched his vehicle. If the driver of that van is from anywhere remotely close to the area, surely he has seen footage of the van on the news, and would recognize it as his. JMO

Exactly. My husband and I talked about this. I said, if I knew that was me, I'd call the police right away to tell them that I think that was me who drove by at that time. Then we discussed the possibility the person was from out of town and just pulled in for gas and is clueless what's been going on. We used to travel alot so we could imagine that happening. Gas up, pull out and never look back. Except the van was driving down what is considered a local road so the odds of our second scenario seem small. Like you say, it increases the odds the van is the vehicle because it's not surfaced or been identified. Plus it sort of looks like its dented on the passenger side. If innocent, someone else would say 'hey your van looks like the van' and alert you. So where's the darn van?

 

[Flutterby80]

Exactly. My husband and I talked about this. I said, if I knew that was me, I'd call the police right away to tell them that I think that was me who drove by at that time. Then we discussed the possibility the person was from out of town and just pulled in for gas and is clueless what's been going on. We used to travel alot so we could imagine that happening. Gas up, pull out and never look back. Except the van was driving down what is considered a local road so the odds of our second scenario seem small. Like you say, it increases the odds the van is the vehicle because it's not surfaced or been identified. Plus it sort of looks like its dented on the passenger side. If innocent, someone else would say 'hey your van looks like the van' and alert you. So where's the darn van?

Right. The fact that the van drove down the little parking lot road and out onto Grand Haven Rd. rather than pulling onto Sternberg and then US31 feels local to me. Add to that the coworker/witness and her husband seeing the van behind the station around the time Jessica disappeared, the guitar store guy witnessing the van being there a couple of hours before, and then also add the reports of a similar van skulking around gas stations in previous weeks...I can see why LE is fixated on this van.

 

[goldenbear]

Three girls kidnapped and kept for years have just escaped in Ohio there is hope for Jessica. We must never give up!

 

[absentia]

why do they want to know what she was doing during the day before she went to work?

 

[Indy Anna]

I know that there have been many times when I have had to wait around for someone inside to clear the pump I pulled up to before I could start pumping gas. Maybe she never cleared the previous transaction, for whatever reason.

I don't remember ever using a card at the pump; I almost always pay cash. And, I don't use Exxon so I don't know how it works there. But, at the station where I buy gas, the attendant has to come out to the pump and turn a key to clear the previous transaction. There have been times when the station is very busy that the attendant forgets to clear the previous transaction and the pump doesn't work until the attendant comes over and turns the key. I'm almost certain it works the same way with credit card transactions. I've also used stations where they activate the pump from inside, but I don't know if using a credit card would automatically activate the pump if the card is approved.

 

[absentia]

Right. The fact that the van drove down the little parking lot road and out onto Grand Haven Rd. rather than pulling onto Sternberg and then US31 feels local to me. Add to that the coworker/witness and her husband seeing the van behind the station around the time Jessica disappeared, the guitar store guy witnessing the van being there a couple of hours before, and then also add the reports of a similar van skulking around gas stations in previous weeks...I can see why LE is fixated on this van.

oh, is that true? I hadn't caught that. the van was seen creeping around at other locations? I wonder if it's the van of the guy JH called the cops on when he wouldn't leave her store.

 

[absentia]

how does nobody know who this person is if he's been lurking about so much?

 

[absentia]

just feeling so sad for her little boy tonight. I hope he's used to being cared for by many family members so it's not as much of a shock as a child who's home with mom 24/7. but no one can replace mama.
when DD wakes up crying for me, afraid b/c I'm not in bed, I can't imagine a child with that level of need for mom being without her.
but whatever the case, his mom is his only mom. I really hope she comes back. I have to say, I'm more concerned for the boy in this case. Of course for JH too, but the mother/child bond is what really gets me.

and I'm so mad b/c whoever did this clearly did not have a good bond and is spewing his misery out onto other people. why can't people just take care of their own ***** instead of ruining other people's lives?

 

[Flutterby80]

how does nobody know who this person is if he's been lurking about so much?

That is the 64 million dollar question!

 

[absentia]

I don't remember ever using a card at the pump; I almost always pay cash. And, I don't use Exxon so I don't know how it works there. But, at the station where I buy gas, the attendant has to come out to the pump and turn a key to clear the previous transaction. There have been times when the station is very busy that the attendant forgets to clear the previous transaction and the pump doesn't work until the attendant comes over and turns the key. I'm almost certain it works the same way with credit card transactions. I've also used stations where they activate the pump from inside, but I don't know if using a credit card would automatically activate the pump if the card is approved.

I'm assuming MI is self-serve. Oregon is full serve. it's so weird to me. I always forget.

 

[absentia]

That is the 64 million dollar question!

seriously. someone knows him. probably lots of people do. seems like people either call in random tips that don't lead anywhere, or they ignore the person in front of their face b/c they can't imagine someone they know doing something like this.

When JR happened, I was convinced it was someone I had never even met but whom my husband worked with. I'd probably err on the side of turning in my neighbor for the tiniest reason instead of denying it could be anyone I know.

 

[Flutterby80]

oh, is that true? I hadn't caught that. the van was seen creeping around at other locations? I wonder if it's the van of the guy JH called the cops on when he wouldn't leave her store.

A similar van. Nobody is sure if it is THE van but it's just one more thing that points to THE van being involved in Jessica's disappearance. Somewhere back in previous threads, there were reports of a silver/gray van being seen skulking around gas stations in Coopersville, at the Meijer down the road, and IIRC also down in the Spring Lake area. Employees said he would sit in the parking lot staring at the girls working inside and then just leave.

Creepy.

 

[Indy Anna]

oh, is that true? I hadn't caught that. the van was seen creeping around at other locations? I wonder if it's the van of the guy JH called the cops on when he wouldn't leave her store.

Wow! I missed that. When did that happen? Do you have a link? TIA!

 

[Flutterby80]

I'm assuming MI is self-serve. Oregon is full serve. it's so weird to me. I always forget.

You rarely see a full-serve pump around these parts anymore. It's been years since I've seen one.

 

[absentia]

A similar van. Nobody is sure if it is THE van but it's just one more thing that points to THE van being involved in Jessica's disappearance. Somewhere back in previous threads, there were reports of a silver/gray van being seen skulking around gas stations in Coopersville, at the Meijer down the road, and IIRC also down in the Spring Lake area. Employees said he would sit in the parking lot staring at the girls working inside and then just leave.

Creepy.

how creepy. too bad nobody called the cops on him just to get his name on file.